Cinemacon 2025 is officially in the books. Hollywood’s four-day-long celebration brings movie theater owners and exhibitors from around the world in Las Vegas for one reason – an exclusive first look at what is coming to their big screens over the next 12-18 months. And, we aren’t talking about the type of convention where breakfast buffets are held under fluorescent lighting and keynote speakers are found in poorly air-conditioned conference rooms.
Nah, this is Vegas and that means they roll out the red carpet with iconic movie stars like Tom Cruise introducing a trailer for his latest Mission Impossible movie, penthouse parties at Caesars with studio executives, and a lunch at Nobu with Sydney Sweeny promoting The Housemaid. But, where were the Latino projects this year? In the past, we’ve highlighted the productions taking our gente into cineplexes.
This year, we were largely absent.
Now, Cinemacon isn’t a look at every single title that each studio is releasing. It is simply a look at the features that they are betting will get butts in the seats at theaters. Second, not every Hollywood studio makes an appearance at Cinemacon. Studios like A24 and of course, streamers like Netflix and AppleTV – for obvious reasons – are not in attendance.
But for the studios that did show up, let’s give ‘em a “Gente Grade” of A to F based on how they platformed Latinos. Starting with the strongest and ending with the worst, here are how the studios ranked at Cinemacon 2025:
Focus Features/Universal Pictures: C+
The Focus Features and Universal Pictures presentation had by far the most amount of Latino projects at Cinemacon 2025. While no Latinos were in attendance to promote said projects, we can tell you they were certainly in the presentation.
Benicio Del Toro (Sicario) is joining Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another. In the highly anticipated Paul Thomas Anderson film, Del Toro is part of a group of ex-revolutionaries who come together to rescue one member’s daughter. It’s due in theaters on September 25.
John Ortiz (Bad Monkey) is joining the cast of Nobody 2 with Bob Odenkirk. The action film has Odenkirk’s character trying to go on vacation with his family when trouble tracks him down. It’s slated for August 15.
Anthony Ramos (Twisters) is back in Bad Guys 2., due out August 1. This time the crew is taking on a group of bad girls. Jurassic World: Rebirth features Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer) alongside Scarlett Johansson, both trampling into theaters on July 2.
M3gan 2.0 co-stars Brian Jordan Alvarez (English Teacher) and hits screens June 25. Out October 17, Black Phone 2 sees the resurrection of Ethan Hawke, this time he is joined by Ariana Rivas (A Working Man), Miguel Mora (The Black Phone), and Demián Bichir (Without Blood). Lastly, iconic musician Gloria Estefan voices Grandma Gigi in Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie. The film also stars Kristin Wiig and is due out in theaters on September 26. That’s a decent amount of Latinos!
Walt Disney Studios: C+
Disney is perhaps the most anticipated presentation at every Cinemacon. This year was no exception. With Disney Live Action, Marvel Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures all under the Walt Disney umbrella, there’s a lot to be excited about.
Latino wise? Honestly, not too shabby.
Just 31 days after earning her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, Zoe Saldaña appeared in front of the Vegas audience to promote Elio and Avatar: Fire and Ash. In Elio, “Elio is an 11-year-old kid who lives, breathes, and dreams aliens,” Saldaña said from the Caesars stage. “It is emotional, it is a ride and these characters decide who and where they are meant to be,” she says of the film due out June 20.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is in the finishing stages of production “This film is unlike anything audiences have ever seen,” Saldaña said. “Fire and Ash expands the beautiful world of Pandora and introduces two new clans,” the Oscar-winner told the Cinemacon 2025 audience. With a reportedly hefty runtime of three hours and 12 minutes, Avatar: Fire and Ash is coming to theaters December 19.
Disney also gave us Papa Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us). While we have long known that Pedro is fantastic, it took Marvel Studios to make it official with Fantastic Four. It opens in theaters July 25.
And finally, Shakira rejoins the cast of Zootopia 2 as the voice of Gazelle. Her pristine pipes can be heard in theaters on November 26, 2025.
Lionsgate: C-
Yes, Lionsgate is putting A LOT into the upcoming release of Ballerina. And, yes, Ballerina is anchored by Latina Ana de Armas. But one film does not make a studio Latino-friendly, even if it is a franchise.
Ana de Armas not only made a stop at Cinemacon 2025 to promote her newest film, but they awarded her with the Action Star of the Year – a first for a woman! Lionsgate even went so far as to promote the newly open John Wick Experience, an escape room-type adventure located a few miles off the strip, with Ana in attendance giving interviews.
But, Lionsgate didn’t invite the Latino press to any of the three press opportunities they hosted with their Cuban star. It didn’t matter that I’m Latina AND the president of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association. It didn’t matter that I’m writing for a Latina-owned and run media company. Lionsgate wouldn’t make space for us and so they missed the context the Latino press can give the greatness of their moment.
For example, yes, Ana de Armas has done action before. Yes, she was nominated for an Oscar. And yes, she is Latina. Yes, she is Cuban. No, that isn’t the same as Mexican. These were all questions that I had to answer to non-Latino press ahead of their interviews. That’s why I’m giving Lionsgate a C-.
It’s not enough to promote Latino projects, you have to support the community that they come from. Or, at the very least, invite them to the mesa.
Lionsgate also had Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) there to promote Hurry Up Tomorrow, in which she stars opposite The Weekend in a film about a musician on a journey. The film is due out in May. Lastly, Lionsgate featured Ariana Greenblatt (Borderlands) as she co-stars in Now You See Me, Now You Don’t, joining the legacy cast of Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Woody Harleson. The film is due to hit theaters November 14.
Amazon MGM Studios: C-
2025 marked the first year that Amazon MGM appeared at Cinemacon and it was a gigantic deal. While everyone in attendance expected news about the James Bond franchise (yours truly included), that didn’t happen. But, what did happen was one of the most exciting presentations across the four days.
Amazon is loving the Latinas with two projects they promoted at Cinemacon 2025. First up is The Accountant 2 with Daniella Pineda (Plane). She plays Anaïs, who’s at the center of the second of three films in the Accountant franchise. We caught the film at SXSW and we are thrilled to tell you that she slays in the movie. Moreover, the film opens on April 25 so audiences won’t have to wait too long to see this in theaters.
The second project with a Latina in a supporting role is Crime 101. The film co-stars Academy Award nominee Monica Barbardo (A Complete Unknown) alongside Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, and Barry Keoghan. The movie features Hemsworth as a jewel thief and Ruffalo as the cop chasing the charming criminal. Crime 101 is due out in theaters later this year.
Sony Pictures: C-
Sony Pictures had a decent amount of Latinos on their slate. Bad Bunny (Bullet Train) is back on the big screen for Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing. The crime thriller also stars Austin Butler and is being released on August 25, 2025. Also from Sony is Klara and the Sun co-starring Jenna Ortega. The Taika Waititi film is based on a book of the same name and is due in theaters sometime in 2025.
And finally, Sony announced another installment from the Spiderverse franchise. Jharrel Jerome (Unstoppable), Luna Lauren Veléz (Dexter), and Oscar Isaac (Dune: Part One) are all co-starring in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Don’t get your spidey senses ready just yet, the film isn’t scheduled to be released until 2027.
Warner Bros: D
No bueno for our friends over at Warner Bros. There were only two projects that we eyed had Latinos in them, one of which was a voice credit by America Ferrera. The trailblazing Oscar nominee Latina is credited with a role in the upcoming film Cat in the Hat alongside Xochitl Gomez. The film, starring Bill Hader as the Cat, is clawing its way into theaters in February of 2026.
Finally, while Isabela Merced is having a moment (with a capital “M”) in The Last of Us, she will next land in theaters in Superman. She is Kendra Saunders in the James Gunn-directed film due to fly into theaters July 11.
Paramount Pictures: D
Paramount was just as bad, with only two films featuring Latinos. Much like Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) is without a doubt a busy senor. Domingo is next due in The Running Man opposite Glen Powell (Hit Man). Domingo is Bobby Thompson, the host of the televised shows at the center of the film. The film is directed by Edgar Wright (Baby Driver) and is hitting theaters in November.
And finally to the most coveted Paramount project: Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Esai Morales (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One) is back as Gabriel, the bad guy opposite Tom Cruise. That is coming to theaters on May 23.
As they say in Hollywood… that’s all folks!
